Attachment for saxophones



March 8 1927. 1,620,564

c. w. MCELROY awucmmuw FOR SAXOPHONES Filed March 12, 1925 Patented Mar.8, 1927.

UNITED STATES CHARLES W. MCELROY, OF ?I-IILADELPZ-IIA, IPENNSYLVAHIA.

ATTACHMENT FOB SAXOPHONZES.

Application filed March 12,1925. Serial No. 15,037.

This invent-ion relates to an attachment forsaxophones, and the objectisto simplify the fingering of the G-sha-rp key.

On all makes of saxophones the pads operated by the first, second andthird fingers of the left hand are hinged on the left hand side of theinstrument, while the :G-sharp key operated by the little finger of theleft hand is hinged on the right hand side of the instrument almostopposite to where the pads are hinged. This greatly retards themanipulation of the instrument by causing the little finger to work at adifferent angle from the other fingers of the left hand while operatingthe Gr-sharp key.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of that portion of a saxophone including theG-sharp pad and actuating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 indicates the body of the saxophone, and 2, the G-sharppad, mounted for oscillation upon a rocker-arm 3 secured to a rock-shaft4: pivotally mounted upon suitable trunnions 5, 5. The numeral 6indicates a second rock-shaft mounted upon suitable trunnions 77. An arm8 secured at the lower end of the rock-shaft 7 is adapted to engage theunder side of the rearwardly projecting end 3 of the rockarm- 3, whichcarries the G-sharp pad 2.

The rock-shaft 7 is provided with a fingering key 9. The rock-shaft 4upon which is mounted the pad 2 is engaged by a needle spring 10, oneend of which is secured to one of the trunnions 5, the opposite endengaging a projection 11 on the rock-arm 3 adapted normally to hold thepad in an open position. The rock-shaft 7 is engaged by a similar needlespring 12, one end of which is secured to one of the trunnions 7 itsfree end engaging a projection 13 on the rockshaft 7, whereby the arm 8and the rearwardly projecting end 3 of the arm 3 are held in engagementwith each other. The tension of this spring 12 is suflicient to closethe pad 2 against the tension of the needle spring 10.

Thus far I have described the usual construction of the actuatingmechanism of the iG-shitrlp My attachment preferably consists of thefollowing construction The numeral 15 indicates a rock-shaft supportedupon suitable trunnions 16-16. Extending laterally from the rock-shaft15 .is an :arm 17, adapted to engage and overlittle finger to work atthe same angle as the other fingers of the left hand, while operatingthe G-sharp key and does not interfere with the regular G-sharp key, butpermits it to be used in the usual way to facilitate the passing fromthe lower notes to G-sharp. This attachment works in unison with the oldlever: when the old lever is pressed down, the needle spring 20 causesthe finger-piece 19 to go down with it.

I claim:

1. In a saxophone having a pivoted G- sharp vent pad, a pivotedactuating key therefor, a spring to hold it normally in engagement withthe G-sharp vent pad and hold it closed, and an auxiliary pivoted keyarranged opposite the first-mentioned actuating key and communicatingtherewith for actuating the G-sharp vent pad.

2. In a saxophone having a pivoted G- sharp vent pad, a spring fornormally holding it open, a pivoted actuating key, adapted to engagesaid vent key, a spring engaging said actuating key adapted normally tohold said vent pad closed, an arm extending from said pivoted actuatingkey, and an auxiliary pivoted key provided with an arm adapted to engagethe arm of the actuating key, whereby the latter may be actuated from adifferent point.

3. In a saxophone having a pivoted G- sharp vent pad, a spring fornormally holding it open, a pivoted actuating key, adapted to engagesaid vent key, a spring engaging said actuating key adapted normally tohold said vent pad closed, an arm extending from said pivoted actuatingkey, an auxiliary rocker-shaft arranged opposite said actuating 'key andprovided with an arm adapted to engage the arm extending from thefirstmenlioned actuating key, and afinger lever extending inwardly fromthe auxiliary rockshaft to a point adjacent the first-mentionedactuating-key.

4:. In a saxophone having a pivoted Grsharp vent pad, a spring fornormally hold-i ing it open, an actuating key compressing a pivotedrock-shaft, an arm extending therefrom adapted to engage said vent pad,a spring engaging said rock-shaft adapted normally to hold the vent keyclosed, an actuating key extending from said rock-shaft, a rock-armextending laterally from said rock-shaft, and an auxiliary pivoted keyarranged adjacent the first-mentioned actuating key from a difierentpoint.

20 5. In a saxophone having a pivoted G- sharp vent pad, a spring fornormally holding it open, an actuatlng key compris ng a pivotedrock-shaft, an arm extending therefrom adapted to engage said vent pad,

a spring engaging said rock-shaft adapted w normally to hold the ventkey closed, an actuating key extending from said rock-shaft, a rock-armextending laterally from said rock-shaft, and an auxiliary rock-shaft,ar-

ranged opposite the first-mentioned rockshaft, a rock-arm extendinglaterally therefrom adapted to engage the laterally-extending 'arm ofthe first-mentioned rock-shaft, and an actuating key extending inwardlyfrom the auxiliary rock-shaft to a point ad-

